On 24 August 1876 the Benalla Mission was established under Fr. John Scanlon who continued as Parish Priest until his early death in 1880. Dean (later Archdeacon) Owen Davy was appointed Parish Priest and he is noted as the priest who built the new church. The foundations were laid in 1907 and Archdeacon Davy worked tirelessly to raise funds for the new church building. At the age of 67 years, Archdeacon Davy died in January 1908. The first Mass was held in June 1908 and records show that 1200 people attended that first Mass in the new church. The design of the church is called ’Australian Romanesque with a touch of Spanish Baroque’ and it is recognised as a very distinctive and interesting piece of architecture. Designed by the firm Kempson and Conolly, it was called ‘the jewel in the crown’ of the Diocese of Sandhurst. The bell was a gift from Archdeacon Davy on his return from visiting his homeland, Ireland, in 1904. The stained glass window was commissioned and installation arranged by Dean James O’Reilly, the fifth Parish Priest of the Benalla Parish. It was designed by Van Treeck Studios in Germany in 1929. The crucifixion window is noted for its blue/turquoise and red/orange colours. In 1989 fire destroyed much of the church, especially the interior and the roof. Fortunately the magnificent stained glass window was saved. The restoration of the fire damaged church took about a year to complete. In 2004 to 2006 St. Joseph’s church underwent refurbishment of the interior with a new look circular arrangement with a distinctive marble font and altar. The new altar was consecrated by Bishop Joe Grech, Fr. Denis Crameri was the Parsh Priest at that time. In September 2021 St. Joseph’s church once again suffered damage when a Mw 5.9 earthquake centred on Woods Point caused structural damage. Once again the parishioners found themselves attending Mass in the hall. After a lengthy period, on 12 June 2024 Bishop Shane Mackinlay conducted the official re-opening of the once again restored church building.  Fr. Vijay Bandanadam was the Parish Priest at that time. Throughout this long 150 years of St. Jospeh’s Parish it is the people who have stood firm, loyal and committed to their faith. The various dramas have shown that the parishioners have been prepared to change their routines, accepting alternate locations for the liturgies and to dig deep when called upon. This 150th Anniversary will be more than a celebration of years of buildings, it’s a celebration of people. Those who have built, shaped, and continue to nurture the life of this parish. We give thanks for the many diocesan priests who have served here, and most especially, we honour the faith, generosity and perseverance of our parishioners.